School in Carbon County Dismissed over Threat Fears

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SUMMIT HILL -- The Panther Valley Junior-Senior High School in Carbon County was dismissed Monday morning after a reported threat.

Police interviewed the student who was specifically referenced in the email tip and said he did not send the email, did not have a gun on him, and had no idea why another person would mention him in the tip.

Students were on lockdown for two hours at the high school after police received an anonymous tip about a shooting planned for around 1 p m.

SCHOOL SHOOTING THREAT: No one was injured, no guns were found after an anonymous tip about an alleged planned shooting was sent to police. pic.twitter.com/wmSKDNar3Q

"I was a little nervous about what was going on. Nobody would tell us anything," said sophomore Samantha Wildoner. "We were just waiting for it to be over. Then it started going into second period, third period, fourth period, and we were still there."

The tip pointed investigators in the direction of a specific student. Police interviewed him and the student told them he did not have a gun and had no idea why someone would suggest he would do this.

"We investigated him immediately and spoke to him at length. At this point, he's not a suspect, but we're trying to figure why someone would target him," said Summit Hill Police Chief Joseph Fittos.

Police are looking through cell phone records to try to narrow down who sent in the tip. They say charges could be filed.

Police say they were able to check the bags of more than 800 students in less than 45 minutes. They say part of the reason the process was so smooth is that students and teachers knew exactly what to do.

"We have all of our emergency protocols in place. We have practices that we follow and things that have to be done," said Panther Valley School superintendent Dennis Kergick.

School officials say there will be extra precautionary measures taken on Tuesday.

"It involves some searches and information like that and sharing information with folks like the parents and the students that attend our school," said Kergick.

If you have any information about this school threat, you're asked to contact the Summit Hill Police Department.

1 Comment

Bill K

What a bunch of bull. We tell our kids to resist bullying. Yet what does the school administration do? Cave to a bully. Was a bomb EVER found in one of these bomb threats? No. You always hear about them in the spring and fall. Never on a January day when it’s 20 degrees and sleeting. My instructions to whoever is at the switchboard is as soon as you hear “there’s a bomb” hang up. Go ahead, downvote me. But you know deep down there’s never a bomb and it’s just a waste of time and money.